


Hearts still beating

by legolastariel



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst, Kindred Spirits, M/M, POV First Person Daryl, POV First Person Rick, Soul Bond, Spiritual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-09-13 23:36:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9146998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/legolastariel/pseuds/legolastariel
Summary: Don't know, how to write a summery on this. The events of 7x8, whatever Rick and Daryl are going through until they meet in the Hilltop, happen simultaneously and I thought "What if there was such a deep connection between them, that their souls were able to communicate over the distance and help them see it through, whatever they have to shoulder without the other actually being there."I'm not sure this really worked, but I like the idea and if anyone does have a connection like that, it's those two.





	

**Author's Note:**

> If it sucks - my muse had too much champagne last night and had me up and writing after only four hours of sleep. Happy New Year, by the way!!! So blame it on her. I'm not to be held responsible.
> 
> If you like it - I'm most definitely to be held responsible. LoL Please, let me know what you think! Feedback is highly appreciated as always. 
> 
> It's unbeta'ed, because betas should have a holiday, too, and mine is not even out of bed, if she knows what's good for her. :-)))

**Hearts still beating**

 

_ Go now.  _

That’s what the note says and there ain’t nothin’ I’d rather do than that. Get out. Run. Go home. To ma family. To Rick.   
But I hesitate. The key’s attached and it’d be easy to open the door and give it a go. It was easy the last time, too, when they left the door unlocked deliberately. As a test. To see, if I would dare and to teach me a lesson. The lesson, that there _ain’t_ no gettin’ outta this and that there’d be consequences, if I tried.   
I ain’t afraid a’ gettin’ beaten again. I’m used to that. Got beaten as long as I can think back, so what’s one thrashin’ more or less? What I do fear is someone else to get punished again on account a’ me. Someone I care for, someone I love. So I stay put, stare at that note and wait. I’m not even sure for what. A sign? Ma inner voice to tell me what to do?

         _“ … ron!”_

Sounded like _“Run!”_ Heard it in the back a’ ma mind loud and clear.  Ma inner voice.  The voice in ma mind, in ma heart, in ma soul, the one I hear in ma dreams and in ma memories – they _all_ sound like Rick. Always. ‘s why I trust ‘em. Why I listen to ‘em. And I know what to do now.

 

         “Aaron!!” 

He’s gone. Disappeared into the depth of this walker infested lake and it feels as though my heart is trying to break out of my ribcage. No! Not again. Not another one of my family. Not someone else, who followed my lead, stood by my side loyally and bravely, supporting me although I suck as a leader these days. I messed up, I started all this and I don’t have the strength to end it. And my weakness may just have cost someone else’s life – again. 

         “Aaron!!”

I know, it’s senseless to yell to someone who’s trapped beneath the surface. He’s unlikely to be there of his own free will and I feel helpless, once again unable to do anything. How am I going to explain this to Eric, when I come home without the man he loves?  
The man he loves … _Daryl!_ I wish, he was here with me now. It should be him by my side on runs, the way it has been for the longest time. As long as he was there, I knew the way, I had the strength, I didn’t hesitate. If that was him in that lake now, I’d be in there, too, unafraid, without thinking twice, willing to rather die with him – or _for_ him – than to sit still in this canoe doing nothing. 

         _“Get out! Get out! Get out!”_

I’m silently imploring, but I’m not even sure whom – Aaron or Daryl. Probably both. One with my mind and one with my heart.  

The latter is skipping a beat suddenly. There’s an echo in my soul, a wave of faith, determination and hope – and the will to live, to go on, to be by my side.

Aaron surfaces with a gasp and waves to me, signaling that he is alright and I let out my breath with a sigh of relief.  
I pick up the makeshift paddle and make for the houseboat with new energy, my spirits lifted all of a sudden. I know, what I felt just now – that wasn’t Aaron. It wasn’t _his_ soul communicating with mine. There’s only one person in this world close enough to me … And he’s coming home.

 

I made it this far. I got outta the cell, found refuge in one a’ ‘em rooms for a while, somethin’ to eat, new clothes – and I ain’t goin’ back. No one and nothin’s gonna stop me this time. I need to get out. Need to get home. Need to be with Rick again. Not for maself, but for him first a’ all. I know ’s _him_ needin’ _me_ and that thought keeps me goin’. Nobody ever needed me before, trusted me, respected me. I can’t let him down. I _will_ get outta here today – and to die tryin’ ain’t no option. 

The door to the lot’s open. Someone’s definitely tryin’ to gimme a hand here, but I neither have the time, nor care to figure out who. Ain’t gonna send no flowers for this anyway.  There’s ma bike!  And the keys are there, too. Almost too good to be true.   
Fat Joey’s voice behind me triggers an adrenalin rush, but it don’t faze me. No one. Nothing. I ain’t gonna be stopped. 

 

         “We had an agreement!” 

I can barely refrain from yelling, from lashing out and beating the holy hell out of that bastard. His men just beat up Aaron, two more of my people are dead, Rosita is injured and the people of this town are once more staring at me with fear and plain shock on their faces, waiting for me to finally _do_ something.   
_ This _ is not our life. It can’t be. This _agreement_ I’ve made was no more than selling every man, woman and child of this community into slavery and I even said ‘Thank you’ for it.   
I’m panting heavily and my hands are shaking, while I try to will down an immense wave of fury, hate and frustration.   
No more. It needs to stop. It _will_ stop.

 

The fat jackass dropped his sandwich and surrenders. He’s got a gun stuck in his waistband – I can see it peek out from underneath his shirt. He’s not even tryin’ to reach for it. Maybe it ain’t loaded. Still, since I ain’t got a clue, he coulda tried to threaten me with it nevertheless, the dumbass. But instead he’s tryin’ to talk me into just leavin’. Lettin’ him off the hook, ‘cause he’s bein’ _nice_ now. He beat me up, fed me dog food, was part a’ all _this_ and he thinks, it’s all forgotten and forgiven ‘cause he’s willin’ to just let me go?   
I feel an immese wave of fury, hate and frustration all of a sudden. The intensity’s almost alien to me and has me grit ma teeth, while I slowly approach the dude like a cat sneekin’ up on a mouse. And the stupid rodent ain’t got a clue that death is comin’ its way.   
I could let him go. Just knock him unconscious and leave. There ‘s a time I would have. But that time ended the night Negan and his bunch a’ bastards killed Glenn and Abraham, and broke Rick. Right now, I’m not sure which weighs more, but there’s one thing I do know – this guy right here’s the first to pay for it.   
No more. It needs to stop. It _will_ stop. 

 

All the fury and the hate and the frustration – they didn’t bring me to my knees this time. They made me stronger and had me come to a conclusion – it’s not just about getting by. It‘s about getting it all.

It was the eeriest sensation to feel those emotions subside all of a sudden, as though they had found an outlet and were seeping out of me just like the tears that were on my face once more. For the last time. That I’ve sworn to myself – and to everyone close to me. Daryl first of all. 

I don’t trust my eyes right now. Don’t dare hope that it’s really him approaching me from behind a corner of the Barrington House. I was so afraid to never see him again and the mere fact that he is here with me now sparks up new energy and hope. I can barely refrain from running as I hurry toward him.

There’s a haunted look on his face and tears in his eyes and I don’t even have to ask him how he feels. I _know._ I feel his pain, his guilt, his fear and his doubts. And his will to put an end to all of those feelings, along with the Saviors.    
And we will. Together. 

 

Rick nods his head when he’s almost reached me. I know, what it means. I can see it in his eyes, hear it in ma mind. 

         _“Are you with me?”_

 

Daryl returns the nod instantly, as always understanding me perfectly well without a single word spoken. 

         _“Yeah.”_

 

We hug each other tight, become one like two sides of the same coin, reunited the way it should be. The way it needs to be, because without the other we’re incomplete. 

And as one we will stand, fight, _live –_ as long as our hearts are still beating. 

 

         _“For you.”_

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know, if the switching back and forth between of them was easy enough to read or if I had better point out who's thinking what more clearly. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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